Adulthood Rites

In Part 1, Butler intertwines exposition and connectivity, seamlessly building on the world she established in the preceding book while introducing the pressing concerns of the current narrative. This strategic approach not only provides a foundation for readers but also primes them for the subsequent sections set in Phoenix, among humans. Understanding the Oankali perspective lays the groundwork for the pivotal shift in the narrative following Akin’s abduction.

Akin’s role as the protagonist is a deliberate choice by Butler, signaling her intent to explore the theme of Complexity of Individual and Collective Identity and reject simplistic notions of heroes and villains. Throughout the Lilith’s Brood series, Butler resists the dichotomy of humans as either good or evil, as well as the Oankali fitting neatly into those categories. Instead, she crafts an intricate reality, mirroring the complexities of her contemporary world. Akin, with his hybrid nature, occupies a unique position, bridging the gap between humans and Oankali, which provides him with insights into both worlds. This eschewing of simple binaries is also evident in the Oankali social and familial structures. For example, the species has three genders, and Akin has more than two parents.

Science fiction and intricate world building are Butler’s canvas for delving into the intricate dynamics of power, politics, and identity in the modern world. Drawing on the African diaspora in the United States and the experiences of African Americans, Butler explores the concept of living among captors and residing in a hybrid state of the new and old, colonized and colonizer. Through Akin, she interrogates the broader reality of a person with genetic material from both the colonized and the colonizer. In this way, she introduces the theme of Colonialism and Genetic Mutation. However, she resists a one-to-one parallel, opting instead for a nuanced portrayal in which the Oankali and humans do not neatly correspond. The arrival of an alien race with ostensibly benevolent motives—engaging in a genetic exchange—adds a layer of complexity to the narrative. These chapters present a kind of innocence of “before” in Akin’s uncomplicated reality living solely among the Oankali and the humans who have decided, like Lilith, that living with the Oankali is the only way forward.

In this exploration of post-humanity, Butler taps into the malleability of identity, challenging conventional notions of race, gender, and sexuality. Ooloi, for instance, defy traditional gender binaries, existing as a distinct category. Children, crafted from multiple parents, embody a fluidity that extends beyond human norms. In later sections, Butler observes the repercussions of these genetic manipulations, inviting readers to contemplate the implications of such transformations.

At the end of this first part, Akin’s bewilderment at human violence, even among their own kind, becomes a reflection of the inherent contradictions within humanity. Tino, as a significant figure in this narrative, occupies a humanness in Akin’s eyes—he is more “resister” than any other human Akin has known. When other resisters seemingly kill him, this violence opens Butler’s question of Violence and Human Hierarchy, a prevailing theme throughout the novel and much of her work. Butler asks through Akin what it means to be human in this way. Tino’s apparent death gives Akin a glance into humanity’s messiness, which he finds unappealing but will later learn is important in its own way.